Development of a Fuzzy Fire Risk Evaluation Model for Building Construction Sites in Hong Kong

Earlier research works on fire risk evaluation indicated that an objective,reliable, comprehensive, and practical fire risk evaluation model is essentialfor mitigating fire occurrence in building construction sites. Nevertheless,real empirical studies in this research area are quite limited. This journalpaper gives an account of the second stage of a research study aiming atdeveloping a fuzzy fire risk evaluation model for building construction sitesin Hong Kong. The empirical research findings showed that the overall firerisk level of building construction sites is 3.6427, which can be interpretedas “moderate risk”. Also, the survey respondents perceived that “Restrictionsfor On-Site Personnel” is the most vital fire risk factor; with “Storage ofFlammable Liquids or Dangerous Goods” being the second; and “Attitudeof Main Contractor” the third. The proposed fuzzy fire risk evaluationmodel for building construction sites can be used to assess the overall firerisk level for a building construction site, and to identify improvementareas needed. Although the fuzzy fire risk evaluation model was developeddomestically in Hong Kong, the research could be reproduced in othernations to develop similar models for international comparisons. Suchan extension would provide a deeper understanding of the fire riskmanagement on building construction sites

An empirical survey of the perceived benefits of executing BIM and sustainability practices in the built environment

PurposeThe increasing urbanization of the built environment has bolstered the need to promote green Building Information Modeling (BIM) initiative in new construction projects and the rehabilitation of old premises. This study aims to explore and examine the key benefits of the implementation of BIM and sustainability practices in the built environment.Design/methodology/approachThe study gathered the worldwide perceptions of 220 survey participants from 21 countries which were analyzed using descriptive and inferential analytical methods. The identified individual benefits of green BIM were further categorized into their underlying clusters using factor analysis.FindingsThe key benefits are related to enhancing project efficiency and productivity, ensuring real-time sustainable design and multi-design alternatives, facilitating the selection of sustainable materials and components, together with reducing material wastage and project’s environmental impact, among others. The study analyzed and compared the perceptions of the diverse groups of the respondents as well.Practical implicationsEffective blueprints and insightful recommendations for enhancing the various stakeholders’ capacities to implement green BIM in their construction projects were put forward to achieve the aim of sustainable smart urbanization.Originality/valueThe study identified salient benefits of the adoption of BIM and sustainability practices. The proper integration of these concepts and the execution of the recommended useful strategies by construction stakeholders, policymakers and local authorities will enable the built environment to reap the gains of its implementation

Concomitant Impediments to the implementation of Smart Sustainable Practices in the Built Environment

The paper examines the major barriers to the application of smart tools to enhance the implementation of sustainability practices in the built environment. The study collated 38 types of impediments from a comprehensive desktop review of the literature, and the data collected were further subjected to expert review via the use of empirical questionnaire surveys. The perceptions of 220 professional respondents from 21 countries were collated via the surveys for statistical analysis and classification purposes. The study findings revealed the significant impediments as related to inadequate knowledge and skills, the current market structure and inherent resistance to change in the built environment, and organizational challenges, among others. A comparative analysis of the perceptions of the diverse groups of survey participants was conducted and discussed. The adoption of the survey findings is envisaged to help the built environment in minimizing the impact of these barriers and can serve as a policy instrument and useful guidelines for government agencies, stakeholders, and others towards ensuring BIM can be used to deliver the full potential of sustainability practices in the construction industry. The study has provided effective practical strategies and recommendations for enhancing the implementation of smart sustainability practices in the built environment

Determining and assessing the risks of commercial and recreational complex building projects in developing countries : a survey of experts in Iran

Purpose: As construction of commercial and recreational complex building projects (CRCBPs) is one of the most important issues in many developing countries and requires a very high cost of implementation, it is important to identify and prioritize the risks of such projects. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to identify and rank the risks of CRCBPs by studying the case of the “Hamedanian Memorial,” a CRCBP in Iran. Design/methodology/approach: To pursue this aim, a descriptive-survey method was used. The statistical population of the study consists of 30 experienced experts (consultants, contractors and employers) of the “Hamedanian Memorial” project selected according to the Cochran formula and minimum population census. A questionnaire was used as the data collection tool, administered in all stages of risk identification and evaluation, and was devised by using library and field methods based on the literature and research background, as well as interviewing experts in the risk identification and evaluation stages. Kendall’s coefficient of agreement was used to validate the experts’ opinions in the risk identification stage. The ranking in qualitative evaluation was done based on the risk intensity and the cumulative risk index. Findings: The results show that the risks are associated with exchange rate fluctuation, inflation fluctuation, access to skilled workers, contractors’ claims and foreign threats from international relations. Originality/value: The results and findings of the present study can be of interest to the executives of large commercial, leisure, public and private projects in developing and developed countries; understanding risks can significantly improve the decision-making process of CRCBPs

A risk based approach to evaluating the impacts of Zayanderood drought on sustainable development indicators of riverside Urban in Isfahan-Iran

In recent years, the Zayanderood River in Isfahan-Iran has been encountered by hydrological imbalance and drought. Literature review shows that long-term climate change, drought, and disruption of the river's water supply has led to depletion of underground aquifers and, consequently, gradual subsidence of the river and serious damage to old buildings and structures along the riverbank. This fact would be followed up by adverse environmental, social, and economic effect that could threaten the sustainable development of urban space. Therefore, it is necessary to use efficient risk identification and assessment approaches toward a more effective risk management. The goal of this study is to identify and prioritize the risks of river drought with regards to all three sustainable development areas including environmental, social, and economic. The research methodology was a mixed field method that included a set of questionnaires and interviews. To evaluate collected data, the analytic network process (ANP) method was used. Eighteen important risks were identified. Based on the results, decrease in the groundwater level, climate change, and gradual soil degradation were ranked first, second, and third, respectively. As this study examined the impacts of river drought on all three areas of sustainable development simultaneously and comprehensively, it is expected that the results will fill the existing theoretical and practical gap affecting improvements in assessment and management of sustainable development risks. © 2019 by the authors

Developing project evaluation models for smart sustainable practices implementation in construction projects: a comparative study between Nigeria and Hong Kong

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify the key facilitating factors for smart sustainable practices (SSP) and develop a project evaluation model (PEM) for SSP implementation in Nigeria and Hong Kong. SSP is coined from the integration of digital technologies such as Building Information Modelling (BIM) to facilitate sustainability practices.Design/methodology/approachThe study employed a quantitative research design approach using empirical questionnaire surveys to solicit the opinions of 69 and 97 construction practitioners in Nigeria and Hong Kong. Purposive and snowball sampling techniques were used to identify the potential survey respondents. The fuzzy synthetic evaluation technique was used to develop the PEMs.FindingsThe findings revealed that adequate technical expertise of the SSP processes is critical in enhancing its implementation in Hong Kong and Nigeria; as well as the provision of training programs for specialists in smart and sustainable initiatives. Meanwhile, the study's findings advocated that for an SSP-enabled construction project, its project performance is mainly influenced by the client's satisfaction level and the early involvement of the project teams.Research limitations/implicationsThe study's results are limited to the Nigeria and Hong Kong construction industries.Practical implicationsConstruction stakeholders such as the clients, developers, contractors can utilize the PEMs to determine and track SSP initiatives implementation in building projects in a reliable and practical way.Originality/valueNo tool has been developed for evaluating SSP initiatives at the project level in the construction industry. Using case studies of Hong Kong and Nigeria, PEM indices were developed to measure and track SSP implementation in construction projects

A Scientometric Review of Global Research on Sustainability and Sustainable Development

The concept of sustainable development has gained worldwide attention in recent years which had enhanced its implementation. However, few studies have attempted to map the global research of sustainability. This study utilizes scientometric review of global trend and structure of sustainability research in 1991-2016 using techniques such as co-author, co-word, co-citation, clusters, and geospatial analyses. A total of 2094 bibliographic records from the Web of Science database were analyzed to generate the study's research power networks and geospatial map. The findings reveal an evolution of the research field from the definition of its concepts in the Brundtland Commission report to the recent development of models and sustainability indicators. The most significant contributions in sustainability research have originated primarily from the United States, China, United Kingdom and Canada. Also, existing studies in sustainability research focus mainly on subject categories of environmental sciences, green & sustainable science technology, civil engineering, and construction & building technology. Emerging trends in sustainability research were sustainable urban development, sustainability indicators, water management, environmental assessment, public policy, etc.; while the study generated 21 co-citation clusters. This study provides its readers with an extensive understanding of the salient research themes, trends and pattern of sustainability research worldwid

Identifying and prioritizing the benefits of integrating BIM and sustainability practices in construction projects: A Delphi survey of international experts

The recent initiatives of the construction industry to embed sustainable strategies in its processes can be en- hanced when clear and practical benefits of such integration are available to project stakeholders to support their decision-making. Hence, this study purports to evaluate the perceived benefits of integrating BIM initiatives and sustainability practices in construction projects. Delphi survey technique was used to solicit the perceptions of expert panel on the 36 identified benefits. Statistical tools were employed to analyze the derived data, and the consensus reached by the expert panel was validated using the interrater agreement statistics. The three most important benefits included the ability to enhance overall project quality and efficiency and improve the ability to simulate building performances and energy usage and facilitate better design products and multi-design al- ternatives. Comparative analyses among the expert groups lend credence to the strong consensus reached by the expert panel. Meanwhile, the study recommended strategies to enable the construction industry to key-in to these benefits as well as identifying prevalent research gaps in practice. The studyös findings will enhance the drive for the realization of the sustainable smart city as well as equip various stakeholders of the possibilities in its full adoption and implementation

Green-building information modelling (Green-BIM) assessment framework for evaluating sustainability performance of building projects: a case of Nigeria

There is a research gap in the use of digital systems to aid the sustainability performance assessment of buildings, which informs the development of the green-BIM assessment (GBA) framework in this paper. The study employed a conceptual framework design, expert surveys, and case studies to identify and establish the different components of the GBA framework. The developed GBA framework incorporates the BSAM scheme as its primary green building rating system and provides a cost-effective solution for sustainability appraisal. The findings revealed that the 4Ws of the information exchange workflows would facilitate the GBA system's implementation and the expert validation confirmed its suitability for the Nigerian context. The C-SDSS served as the digital component of the GBA system towards automating the sustainability performance assessment of buildings. The GBA system provides the construction industry with a useful tool that could ease comparing two or more building projects or its designs for several uses – such as contract bidding, evaluating alternative designs, and the like. The application of the GBA system can be extended to facilitate its adoption in other regions or countries. The study’s deliverables are expected to enhance smart and eco-initiatives in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa